THE MOST EXPENSIVE MONTH: A COMPLETE COST BREAKDOWN OF PATAGONIA
How much money should I bring to Patagonia?
Not going to lie. I was almost afraid to write about this.
On average, travel in Patagonia was one of the most expensive months of my South America trip. In this blog post, I'll take you through exactly what I spent travelling through Patagonia for one month.
The cost of one month in Patagonia
Laguna de los Tres | Fitz Roy | El Chalten
My favourite hike - Laguna de Los Tres (aka Fitz Roy) in Argentina
Key facts before we dive in
I travelled for one month, from the end of November to end of December. This is the shoulder season in Patagonia. The peak season starts in January through to February where accommodation prices are considerably higher.
I didn't camp. I stayed in dorm rooms and spent a couple of nights in an Airbnb.
As I didn't camp, I needed very little in terms of rental gear. A good set of hiking poles for Torres del Paine and Laguna de Los Tres were the most I rented.
I bought my comfy, waterproof hiking boots on sale from Decathlon in Santiago for £35, along with a thermal top and trousers for around £3 each. Bargain.
I travel on the fly, so I prebooked little to nothing in advance.
My Patagonia Itinerary
Santiago -> Punta Arenas -> Puerto Natales -> Torres del Paine (W Circuit) -> Puerto Natales -> El Calafate -> El Chalten -> El Hoyo/El Bolson -> Bariloche -> Buenos Aires
Patagonia map route
Below I've listed a breakdown of costs by geographical location in Patagonia. I found my budget fluctuated a lot depending on where I was.
Ushuaia, Pucon and the Marble caves were also on my itinerary, however as Patagonia was heading into the peak of summer where Argentinians and Chileans go on their summer holidays, I decided to skip these and favoured spending more time in places like El Chalten and Bariloche.
Punta Arenas
The gateway into Patagonia.
I was originally planning to skip Punta Arenas and just head straight to Puerto Natales. However after my Airbnb host in Santiago insisted I go and see the penguins, I ended up staying a couple of nights and booking a very expensive penguin tour.
Number of days: 2
Private accommodation total: £41
Groceries (eating in): £10
Penguin Tour: £73
Taxis: £9
Flight from Santiago -> Punta Arenas: £43
Total: £176
Handy tip: The price of a dorm bed in Punta Arenas was pretty much the same price as a private on Airbnb.
You can also read:
Puerto Natales
The gateway to Torres del Paine. Originally I had planned to do day trips into Torres del Paine, estimating I would stay for a total of 3 nights.
However, last-minute spots were open for the 5 days/ 4 nights W Circuit trek starting a few days later. After thinking about it for a couple of days, I knew I would regret not taking the opportunity. As much as travelling with a budget is important, there are times where you just need to take an amazing opportunity.
Number of days: 6
Dorm bed total: £128 - I stayed at We are Patagonia Backpacker hostel
Eating out: £24.42 (3 meals)
Groceries: £18.44
Taxis: £1.15
Bus from Punta Arenas to Puerto Natales: £9.30
Other (bag repair, blister plasters, laundry): £14.33
Total: £195.64
Torres del Paine
The total cost of W Circuit: £855 ($1090)
Number of days: 5 days + 4 nights
All food, bus + boat transfers, park entry fees + dorm bed included were in the price.
Rental of hiking poles: £19.50 (5 days)
Total cost: £874.50
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El Calafate
I extended my stay in El Calafate from 2 nights to 3 nights due to bad weather. The main reason for visiting El Calafate is to see Glacier Perito Moreno.
I chose to do the trekking on ice excursion, which is one of the highlights of my time in Patagonia. You can also visit the glacier and walk to many of the amazing lookout points, which is much cheaper.
Number of days: 3
Dorm bed total: £47 - I stayed at America del Sur
Groceries: £15.06
Eating out: £9.06 (1 meal)
Glacier Ice trekking Tour: £90.54
Entry Glacier Perito Moreno: £12.06
Bus from Puerto Natales to El Calafate: £21.24
Total: £194.96
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El Chalten
Originally planning to stay for 4 days, I loved Chalten so much I spent 6 days exploring Los Parques Glaciares. There's no entry fee into the national park and all the hikes start from El Chalten.
Number of days: 6 days
Dorm bed total: £45 - I stayed at Rancho Grande
Groceries: £12.69
Eating out: £12 (1 meal)
Hot Chocolate: £1.85
Hiking poles rental (1 day): £1.72
Bus from El Calafate to El Chalten: £17.40
Total: £90.66
Handy tip: Do some groceries in El Calafate before you head to El Chalten. It's cheaper and there's more variety.
Getting cash out from an ATM is a pain in El Chalten as there's only one cash machine which isn't always guaranteed to work. Bring cash with you from El Calafate or your previous destination.
Withdrawing cash from Argentina is expensive. Read this post on how to avoid insane ATM fees in Argentina.
You can also read:
El Hoyo / El Bolson
Nearing the last week of December, El Chalten was about to get insanely busy. I opted to spend a few days in El Hoyo, hiking and exploring the mountains of Northern Patagonia.
Number of days: 6
The total cost of dorm bed: £47 - Hostel Luz Clara
Groceries: £18.34
Local bus: £2.20
Laundry: £2.58
Night Bus from El Chalten to El Bolsón (22 hours): £67.60
Total cost: £131.72
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Bariloche
I spent my last week in Patagonia hiking around the mountains of Bariloche and watching the most beautiful sunsets on Christmas day. I really didn't want to leave!!
Number of days: 7
Dorm bed total: £78.64 - Hospedaje Penthouse
Groceries: £20.78
Laundry: £3.10
Bike Rental for Chico Circuit: £11.82
Local buses: £10.17
Bus from El Bolson to Bariloche: £5.28
Taxi: £2.24
Total Cost: £129.79
You can also read:
Total spent: £1791.17
Patagonia is definitely my most expensive month of travel to date. But it's also one of the highlights of my travels in South America and if I'm going to be honest, of my life.
Laguna Torre | Los Glaciares
A beautiful day in El Chalten
The main culprit for my inflated expenditure is without a question the W Circuit in Torres del Paine. I had originally planned to do day hikes into the park, however sometimes when the universe presents you with an opportunity that's too good to miss, all plans (and budget) go out the window.
The cheapest way to trek Torres del Paine is to book in advance, camp with your own equipment and cook your own food. Booking last minute, my options were limited to the more expensive alternatives.
Trekking on Perito Moreno Glacier and the Penguins tour were also huge budget eaters. As soon as I got to El Chalten, my spending normalised to more reasonable levels.
Patagonia cost breakdown by category
Travel expenses Patagonia | one month
Travel Insurance
Whilst I didn't include travel insurance in my Patagonia cost breakdown, I did have travel insurance for the duration of my trip in South America.
When buying travel insurance, read the policy document first so you're clear on what you are covered for and things that are excluded from the coverage.
Depending on your country of residence, you may a preferred insurance provider. I usually use World Nomads as they're flexible about extending when you're on the road.
So there you have it.
I hope this helps you plan your Patagonia trip! Comment below and let me know if it does!
Planning a trip or fancy a freebie? These are some websites and services I love:
Booking.com: For the best hotel deals! 🏝
World Nomads: Travel insurance on the go 🌎
Airbnb: For the best apartment deals!🏡
*Affiliate links in this post!
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